The only way to ensure you get the class time you want in the fall is to reserve it now! All that is required to register is the registration fee (which includes your take home materials.)
PLUS -- be sure to take advantage of the Family Time Special!
Kindermusik birthday parties are a wonderful entertainment idea for your baby, toddler, preschooler or young child. They are tailored specifically for each age group, and they actively involve the parents and adults at the party.
Kindermusik birthday parties are done at your home or place of your choosing. We come to you in the Central Iowa area!
Price: $95
Miss Jodi, a Licensed Kindermusik Educator will lead your party. This package is designed for smaller birthday parties of 10 children or less.
Party Package includes:
- A personal consultation to discuss your birthday party needs.
- 1 hour of Kindermusik entertainment on Party Day, which includes instrument play, dancing, movement, and singing.
- ONE age appropriate Kindermusik musical instrument for the birthday child. In the event that there is more than one birthday child, additional instruments may be purchased and added to your package total.
PARTY THEMES:
Themes available include transportation, farm animals, at the beach, at the zoo and much more. We can customize to whatever theme you want.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR PARTY:
A $50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your party date.
We accept credit cards (Visa, MC, AMEX, DISCOVER), check or cash. Please contact us to check availability and to book your date.
OPTIONAL PARTY ADDITIONS:
Party favors - Age appropriate Kindermusik instruments.
(Contact us for a complete list)
We can also customize favor bags for your party guests. Please contact us for consultation and a quote.
Join us for a special session of Kindermusik Family Time!
Our Kind of Day—Build family bonds, creativity and
physical and mental development in a delightful one-room schoolhouse. Each
week children will listen to instruments and to each other, learn from their peers
and older children, and enjoy music and movement with hoops, scarves, and
tumble-around play. Story time and family jams, puppet play and happy
singing—every Family time activity encourages discovery and exploration and
fosters sharing and social skills too.
Home Materials: Two Books—Bouncing on the Bed and Head, Shoulders,
Knees, and Toes, Two Home CDs, Family Guide, Domino Game, Hopper
Kangaroo Hand Puppet and Bounce Joey Finger Puppet, and Two Double-Egg Shaker Instruments.
Begins July 2
Day /Time: Wednesdays at 7 pm
Continues for 10 weeks
Cost: $21.50 per class - all materials included.
No pro-rating or discounts are available for Family Time.
Space is limited to 5-6 families. Register online or contact Miss Jodi.
Hello Weather! Let’s Play Together!—sunshine, rain, snow, thunderstorms, and more in this imaginative and delightful weather-related musical adventure. Preschoolers create storm sounds with a drum to “Wild Storms,” jump in pretend puddles to “Mud Puddle Jump,” throw pretend snow-balls to “Snowballs,” and sing along to “Colors of the Rainbow.” They’ll be surrounded in a creative musical environment that integrates music, pretend play, story telling, movement, and more.
This Fall, Imagine That! will meet on Tuesdays at 4:00 or Saturdays at 10. Children attend by themselves for 30 minutes, parents attend the last 15 minutes for sharing time. The Semester is 15 weeks long. Families enrolled in Imagine That! are eligible for the Family Time Special promotion!
Miss Jodi and her studio are available for Play Group Sessions! For 45 minutes, your playgroup will be singing, dancing, playing instruments and (sshhh...) learning! A Kindermusik Play Group is very reasonable priced at $5 per child (all ages).
Contact Miss Jodi to plan your Play Group Session today!
Milk & Cookies makes everyday home activities and chores easier and more fun with music!
Home Materials: Two Books—At My House and Cookies, Two Home CDs, Stir Xylophone instrument, and a Home Activity Book—all arriving in a durable lunch bag.
In the
Fall of 2008, Our Time classes will meet on Mondays at 9 am, Mondays
at 6:30 pm or Saturdays at 11:00. Classes are 45 minutes long and the
semester is 15 weeks.
Families enrolled in Our Time class in the Fall semester are eligible for the half price Family Time promotion! Sign up today!
Kindermusik Adventures Summer Camps are the perfect addition to any summer routine. There are daytime and evening options available for all age levels in this 5 week program. The extended lessons include a craft and snack for preschoolers and older making this an exceptional value.
Which Adventure is right for your child?
Peek-A-Boo! I Love You!-newborn to 1.5 years old
More than just a curious story, Mother Goose games like peek-a-boo help
your baby understand language. In this special camp, uncover more ways
to say "I love you" using American Sign Language, soap bubbles, and
parent-baby dances. Plus, you can meet with other newborns and families
in the community and learn how music improves the child development
process. Home Materials include: Book, CD, Duck Wash Mitt, Baby Duck
Gertie Ball, and Poster.
Mondays at 9 or Tuesdays at 6:30
Zoo Train!-1.5 years to 3 years old
Your toddler and the train make a natural match—always on the move. Tag
along this summer with a traveling zoo train. Bring your own stuffed
animals for the petting zoo. Wear long white socks on your hands for
polar bear paws and learn about real animals in the zoo. Sing songs for
clapping time, and use music to help toddlers regulate emotions. Home
Materials include: Book, CD, Animal Shaker, and Poster.
Mondays at 6:30 or Tuesdays at 9
Confetti Days!-3 years to 5 years old
Throw a new party every day. Ride a carousel inside the classroom. Play
a balancing game and walk on the web of ropes. Learn colors and sing
the Spanish song "De Colores," "Pop Goes the Weasel," and "Looby Loo."
Home Materials include: CD, pair of Confetti Bells, Story Kit and
Picture Folder set.
Mondays at 10 or Wednesdays at 6
Around the World-4 years to 7 years old
Take an imaginary trip—exploring the exotic cultures of Germany, Japan,
Africa, England, and Mexico. Play the native instruments. Drape sheets
over cardboard boxes and sing over the German mountain tops. Toss
peanuts on the floor and bring good luck to one's home in this Japanese
custom. Send messages in Nigeria with "talking drums." Home Materials
include: CD, Arts and Craft materials,Picture Folder set, and Travel
Bag.
Tuesdays at 4 or Wednesdays at 9
The Adventures Open House will be at the Studio on Sunday, May 18, from 3 to 5 and is a drop-in event. This event is open to registered and non-registered students and families and will feature a preview of all Adventures curricula. I would recommend registering prior to the open house to ensure your spot(s).
Are there any parents of children under 10 who haven't heard of the "Mozart Effect"? It refers to a 1993 study that showed listening to Mozart increases intelligence in babies and young children. This revelation touched off a wave of classical music purchases and spin-off products. And raised a question: Does other music, such as singing simple songs, similarly boost linguistic intelligence or language development?
Yes, says Robert A. Cutietta, dean and professor of music education at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music. "Several studies have shown convincingly that singing and language skills are interconnected," he says. The patterns of words, rhymes, rhythms and tonal qualities inherent in songs are incorporated easily and naturally by children as they learn to speak and, eventually, to read.Elana
Drell Szyfer discovered this connection almost accidentally when she
started playing music for her daughter Sofia, now 3. Szyfer had read
about the Mozart Effect studies on music and brain development and so
tried to make music a part of Sofia's life right from the beginning.
Before Sofia could talk, "she'd start imitating sounds she heard in the
'Barney' songs," says Szyfer.
As most children do, Sofia wanted
to hear the same songs over and over; as many parents do, Szyfer began
to cringe every time she saw the big purple dinosaur. She turned to
Carole King's "Really Rosie" CD, songs her own mother had played for
her. Sofia especially liked "Pierre," based on the book by Maurice
Sendak.
"To hear a three year old singing lyrics like, 'Arriving
home at six o'clock, his parents had a dreadful shock,' was pretty
funny," Szyfer says. Now that Sofia is a bit older, she is beginning to
pepper her speech with some of the words she's learned. "She'll say to
me, 'Oh Mom, don't be shocked," laughs Szyfer.
Anecdotal as Szyfer's evidence might be, there are plenty of scholarly studies that show a strong relationship between singing and literacy development in preschoolers — and there is plenty you can do to help cultivate this connection.
Beyond the Alphabet SongLinda Page Neelly, associate professor of music at the University of Connecticut, has done extensive research on the links between music and literacy development. As your child sings, she explains, he "begins to explore, sequence, and order sounds, which are critical skills for reading."
Neelly cites the familiar song, "A You're Adorable," which has been adapted as a book by Martha Alexander. While reading and singing this book, you are introducing or reinforcing letters in the alphabet. Meanwhile, your child is noticing letter/sound relationships and matching sung words with written ones.
Singing together provides a joyful way to expand your child's spoken vocabulary and creates a strong bond, says Molly McGinn, senior writer at Kindermusik International. "One of the greatest ways to encourage literacy is simply to talk to your kids," she says. "Singing takes this to the next level."
Critical to emerging literacy is "phonological awareness," the understanding that words are made from sounds, says McGinn. Three central components contribute: hearing the sounds that make up words as a precursor to spelling; singing as a way to imbue one's speaking voice with emotive qualities; and vocabulary development, which aids reading and, later, writing.
"The mental and organizational skills of singing a song and telling a story are the same — it's about sequencing, a journey from the beginning to the end," says Cutietta, who's also the author of a book called Raising Musical Kids. "Songs and books are both sequences of events, and so singing provides fundamental skills kids use in school."
Neelly also stresses what she calls "foundational" music learning and points out that as your child starts to explore sounds and put them in order, "she is engaged in a developmental behavior critical not only in musical development but also in pre-reading skills."
Tradition! Tradition!
By
singing with your children, you're not just providing academic building
blocks. You're also providing emotional ones. When you think of your
mother, father, or favorite grandmother, does a song come to mind? For
me, it's my father singing "Goodnight, Irene" on a summer night, the
open window letting in cool air, the cicadas acting as backup singers.
Songs have a way of implanting themselves in our brains and planting us
firmly in time, whether in early childhood or at that school dance
where you had your first kiss.
For Molly McGinn, the song is "Luckenbach, Texas." She remembers her father singing it to her when she was a young child — and now every year on Father's Day, she gets out her guitar, calls her dad on the phone, and sings it to him. "When you sing to your kids, you are sharing the value of loving music," McGinn says, "so try to find songs that are meaningful and enjoyable to you."
Whether that means nursery rhymes, folk tunes from the 1960's, or songs by Raffi or Dan Zanes, there's no such thing as too much singing. And if after the 16th consecutive playing of "Baby Beluga" you wish Raffi had never left Canada, remember that preschoolers love and learn through repetition.
Don't Be Shy
You
can't sing, you say? Can't carry a tune to save your life? News flash:
Your child doesn't care. He won't greet your singing with withering
put-downs, like Simon on American Idol. "What's wonderful about
kids — particularly preschoolers — is that they are your best
audience!" says Jeanette Betancourt, assistant vice president of
education and research at Sesame Workshop. "They're not focused on
musical exactitude; they just want to be involved with you."
Our experts offer these tips on how to use songs and singing in everyday life, making music a joyful part of emerging literacy:
- Make
up silly songs about everyday activities, like brushing teeth, getting
dressed, or cleaning up. Use a familiar melody or invent your own.
- Explore your family's roots and traditions when looking for songs to sing.
- Go to the library to find books based on songs (e.g. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Baby Beluga, Old McDonald), and/or music CD's based on books — then go home and sing them together.
- Have
grandma or grandpa make a recording of a favorite song or book to send
to your child. Preschoolers are fascinated by the sound of their
voices, and this provides a memorable connection around music.
- Try these simple musical activities together.
Zoom Buggy!—Swoosh, vroom, and clickety-clack your way through this delightful unit. Babies and adults will dance, sing, and play instruments to the theme of being on the go. Chug around the room to the song “Little Red Caboose,” hold on tightly while “Riding in the Buggy,” and dance your way to “Zoom-e-oh!” Engage in rituals and playful activities such as infant massage, lap bounces, exercise, and quiet time.
Home Materials: Colorful board book—Zoom Buggy, Home CD of the songs heard in class, two Art Banners, and a baby instrument for music-making at home.
Dream Pillow—This title alone brings images of rocking, cuddling, singing, and lulling to sleep. But leading up to sleepy time are many upbeat and playful activities. Babies and Adults will swirl to a dreamy cloud dance “Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland.” They’ll also play baby appropriate instruments to “Aiken Drum,” and “Sarasponda.” Favorite nursery rhymes like “Wee Willie Winkie,” and “Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling,” are sprinkled throughout the classes. It’s easy to weave many of the class songs and activities into your families’ daily routines.
Home Materials: Board book that calms and relaxes—Dream Pillow Lullaby, Home CD of the songs heard in class, two Art Banners, and a baby instrument for music-making at home.
In the Fall of 2008, Village classes will meet on Mondays at 10 am, Tuesdays at 6:30 pm or Sundays at 6:00. Classes are 45 minutes long and the semester is 15 weeks.
Families enrolled in Village class in the Fall semester are eligible for the half price Family Time promotion! Sign up today!
